Delta provinces ready for floods

CUU LONG DELTA — Provincial authorities in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta have taken several measures to improve safety for people, crops and other properties during the 2012 flooding season.

An Giang Province has invested VND160 billion (US$7.65 million) in reinforcing its embankments and dredging irrigation networks to protect over 125,000 hectares under the autumn-winter rice crop and 24,000 hectares under other crops.

Rural road networks in the province have been repaired to ensure safety for people when traveling in the flood season.

The provincial steering committee for preventing and fighting natural disasters like floods and storms has evacuated residents from flood-prone areas to safety, strenthened shelters for children and set up rescue teams.

The An Giang People's Committee has asked the Government to provide VND300 billion ($14.3 million) to build and upgrade flood-fighting facilities.

Dong Thap Province has evacuated over 540 families residing in landslide-prone areas. However, other 1,200 households are still living in such areas in the province's Chau Thanh, Thanh Binh and Hong Ngu districts. Local authorities plan to evacuate them before the next flooding season.

In Thanh Binh District's Tan Binh Commune, 366 households need to be evacuated as soon as possible. Several other districts have said they do not have more land to resettle households affected by landslides.

More than 100 new landslide-prone points have been found along Tien and Hau rivers in Dong Thap since the last flood season.

In response, the Dong Thap People's Committee has asked the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to provide VND330 billion ($15.8 million) to develop five "flood-free clusters" for resettling residents.

Meanwhile, Head of the Hau Giang Rural Development Division Huynh Thanh Huu said the province had evacuated 179 households living in landslide-prone areas along rivers in Phung Hiep and Chau Thanh districts as well as Nga Bay Town.

Hau Giang still has about 1,500 households living in landslide prone areas. Due to a shortage of funds, families living in most dangerous areas would be the first to be evacuated, Huu said.—VNS